Repair Festival Aotearoa

Media Release: Tuesday 8 September 2026

Nationwide Repair Festival Aotearoa aims to tackle New Zealand’s costly throw-away culture

NEW ZEALAND: A pair of jeans to hem, a blown bike tyre, a guitar that needs a string or whatever it is that needs fixing, Repair Network Aotearoa is inviting all New Zealanders to take part in Repair Festival Aotearoa this month.

Repair events and workshops, run by local volunteer fixers, craftspeople and trade experts, are happening until September 27, across the country and online to help New Zealanders keep items out of landfill and cash in their wallets.

“Repair Festival Aotearoa gives New Zealanders in communities nationwide, from Northland right through to Southland, access to repair and aims to shift consumer habits by encouraging repair over replacement as a tangible option to both save money and reduce waste to landfill,”  says Repair Network Aotearoa founder and festival organiser Brigitte Sistig.

“We want New Zealanders to think twice about replacing an item if it can be repaired. Every successful repair not only keeps items out of local landfills and reduces demand for new, often carbon-heavy, goods, but choosing repair can reduce costs and help household budgets. This is especially important at a time of rising economic pressures.”

Festival attendees can drop in to their local event with items including clothing, small appliances, electronics, musical instruments and even bicycles to give them a second life. 

A full list of Repair Festival Aotearoa’s 50 plus events can be found on the Repair Network Aotearoa Website.

Alongside the environment and economic benefits from repairing items, Sistig says the act of repair is good for our mental health and helps to build community.

“An often overlooked benefit of a repair culture is that it is incredibly rewarding and confidence building, thereby contributing to our wellbeing. Qualitative data shows that engaging in hands-on fixing provides people with a sense of purpose, mental agility and a wish to help others, which builds a sense of belonging and more resilient communities,” Sistig says.

"By slowing down to fix what we own and love, we aren't just saving money or preventing environmental waste but we are actively lowering our stress levels, boosting our personal happiness, and building stronger communities."

ENDS

Media Contact: Carolyn Brooke at Good Scoop
Mobile: 0272859978
Email: carolyn@goodscoop.co.nz

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About Repair Network Aotearoa

Repair Network Aotearoa is a not-for-profit trust dedicated to growing a repair culture throughout New Zealand. By empowering a diverse range of stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, and educational institutions, with the commitment to prioritise repair, it fosters a nationwide network through collaborative projects and advocacy initiatives to extend the lifespan of goods and minimise environmental impact. The organisation started Repair Festival Aotearoa in 2024 as an annual celebration of repair and invitation to all New Zealanders to join the Repair Movement.

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